wellness
WEL-nuhs
/ˈwɛlnəs/
The state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal.
Wellness implies an active choice and a holistic approach (mind and body), rather than just the absence of disease.
The story behind the word. While 'well' is ancient, the word 'wellness' actually appeared as early as the 1650s in a diary entry. However, it was largely forgotten until the 1950s, when Dr. Halbert L. Dunn began using it to describe a 'high-level' state of health that went beyond just not being sick.
Word relationships
- health: Health is often seen as a physical state; wellness is a lifestyle approach.
- illness: Illness is the presence of disease; wellness is the active pursuit of health.
Commonly confused with
- well-being: Wellness is the 'how' (the activities), while well-being is the 'what' (the overall state of happiness).
Word family
- well (adverb): in a good way.
Collocations
- wellness program
- holistic wellness
- workplace wellness
- emotional wellness
Example sentences
- "The company offers a wellness program that includes gym memberships and meditation classes." Corporate benefits package.
- "Wellness is not a destination but a daily practice of small, healthy choices." Personal health journey.
Memory hook
Wellness is 'Well-ness'—the state of being well through conscious effort. Wellness is a verb in disguise.
When not to use
Avoid using it as a direct synonym for 'medicine' or 'clinical treatment.'
Fun facts
- The modern wellness industry is estimated to be worth over $4 trillion globally.
Related words
Explore more words
therapeutic, prosperity, regimen, prophylactic, restorative, eudaimonia
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.